Getting great donor reviews

Great reviews hinge on your ability to communicate with your donors to create a trusting relationship.

An essential part of Giving Trail’s platform is the ability for donors to leave reviews. Why? Too often in the non-profit industry donors don’t have any way to see how their contribution is spent. Thank Yous are absent and performance is never communicated.

Research has proven that donors are more likely to donate to a non-profit again if they feel their donation was used as promised.

So here’s a quick guide to help you post an awesome status update to communicate your performance to your donors.

1. Be heartfelt.

Take time to craft this update and be heartfelt. Donors will be able to tell if you rushed through it. Make sure to explain how the project went, your processes, and the detailed outcome. Remember, you need to tie their contribution to a specific outcome!

2. Tell the truth.

A level of honesty goes a long way. We’re all human, so it’s ok to identify successes and shortcomings. Being truthful about how things went lets your donors know that there is a real person at the other end of their contribution.

3. Post pictures or videos.

Pictures and videos will help tell your story. A visual connection to your project is extremely powerful in showing in your results.

4. Don't Over-post.

We mean this in a couple ways. For starters, keep your update to the point. Sure, you want to be throughout in telling your results, but don’t make your update to “fluffily”. Your donor’s time is valuable.

And secondly, during the span of your project, don’t post too often. It’s ok to give status updates throughout the project, but it’s unnecessary (and annoying) to be posting updates every couple of hours.

5. Thank them!

This is an opportunity to show your gratitude! Together, you made a difference. Let them know just how much they’ve made a difference for your organization.